Abba Anthony said, “It is not seemly for us to remember the time which has passed, but let a man be each day as one who begins his toil, so that the excessive weariness (which we shall feel) may be to our advantage. And let him say, as Paul said, “That which is behind me I forget, and I reach out to that which is before me’ (Philippians 3:13). And let him also remember the word of Elijah who said, ‘As the Lord lives, before Whom I stand this day'” (1 Kings 17:1).

The brethren came to the Abba Anthony and said to him, “Speak a word; how are we to be saved?” The old man said to them, “You have heard the Scriptures. That should teach you how.” But they said, “We want to hear from you too, Father.” Then the old man said to them, “The Gospel says, ‘if anyone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also.'” (Matt. 5.39) They said, “We cannot do that.” The old man said, “If you cannot offer the other cheek, at least allow one cheek to be struck.” “We cannot do that either,” they said. So he said, “If you are not able to do that, do not return evil for evil,” and they said, “We cannot do that either.” Then the old man said to his disciples, “Prepare a little brew of corn for these invalids. If you cannot do this, or that, what can I do for you? What you need is prayers.”